Steam Engine Highlight of Railroad Days

The core aspect of Galesburg’s annual celebration of a major local industry is…well…picking up steam, quite literally.

In addition to things like the bulk of the Railroad Days activities moving back to Main Street, and the return of a three-on-three basketball tournament, the history of the railroad is getting its just due.

Galesburg Railroad Museum head Jim Clayton tells the WGIL Morning News in celebration of the 160th anniversary of the first steam engine moving through Galesburg, a steam engine will be on display near the Amtrak depot.

“The steam engine we’re bringing was about 1867 era, civil war era, and it resembles pretty close the first train to come around here in 1854 so that’s what we worked out, it’s a good company to work with,” says Clayton.

Clayton says the steam engine — called the “Leviathan 63″ — is brought to Railroad Days thanks to private donations, and he says he’s thrilled so many people stepped up to give.

In addition to the on-track display and tours of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard, Abraham Lincoln played by noted impersonator

Michael Krebs will be next to the engine, and Railroad Days organizers say “The Box” gallery on Kellogg Street will have a steam engine-themed photo display.